Trump's 2024 Victory: The Role of Masculinity and Identity Politics

In 2024, the presidential election was all about masculine identity and who centers gender in policy. Donald Trump's strategy of targeting frustrated men, particularly white men, worked despite the usual low turnout among males. The Supreme Court's 2022 Dobbs decision, which affected women's reproductive rights, didn’t sway the election as expected. Instead, many men voted for Trump to reassert their dominance. Unemployment rates, immigration, and high living costs were concerns among voters, but the driving factor was men seeking power and status. Trump vowed to bring back masculine strength and respect for men.

His campaign did so by appealing to various groups of men, from blue-collar workers to tech-savvy bros. This shifted from 2016’s open misogyny to a more subtle promise of making men assured again. The election highlighted gender divisions, with more men of color supporting Trump compared to previous years. A large part of this win was tied to men feeling overlooked, believing they deserve more respect and deference in society. This election underscored the original political identity of men, especially white men, in America's political history.

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